Fang Mail, Pt. 21

Thought we'd share some more "fang mail" from folks who've actually purchased the Imperial Dogs' Live! In Long Beach (October 30, 1974) DVD:

"For the first time on DVD, a completely electrifying proto-punk group who made their first appearance in the '70s. They were on the scene a while during that period without having had the chance to record an LP. Which is very sad, because the potential was there. This was proto-punk in the same vein as the DOLLS/STOOGES/BLUE OYSTER CULT/DICTATORS with a volley of super titles," writes Arsene Obscene leader Francois Ibanez on the Rock In Nice message board here.

"Obviously, you won't listen to this using the latest sound technology," Ibanez continues. "The guy shot the film -- in trashy black and white -- from 100 meters behind the audience, which didn't move the entire hour. I imagine that in 1974 the crowd had to be a bit blase. The film dwells for five minutes on some girl's doughy butt -- the only person moving -- oscillating between the songs as in a trance.

"The sound quality is still strangely 'almost' acceptable, and the band give their all, especially the singer with his pants kissing his pubic hair a la Iggy. There's a pathetic, albeit intentionally humorous, side to all this, which adds an aspect of the beautiful loser. A good, though forgotten, group."

Special thanks to original Back Door Man staffer/South Bay homegirl D.D. Faye for the French-to-English translation.

"The Imperial Dogs Foresaw Punk In Style, Songs & Sound"

"The Imperial Dogs were a hard-edged, confrontational, raw rock band that foresaw punk in their manner of dress (leather-clad biker trash cum a glammed-out, street/Sunset Strip look: shirtless with dog collars, furry pants, face make-up, and skull-and-crossbones drawn on their chests), song subjects (a menacing kiss-off to the hippie '60s titled 'This Aint The Summer Of Love'), influences (Iggy & The Stooges, the MC5, the Velvet Underground, the New York Dolls), and sound (high-energy, guttural, street-tough and wild)" ...

"Their songs were tight hard-rockers with tough subject matter, full of hellacious rebellion and energy. 'Midnite Dog,' '13 Sons Of Satan,' Amphetamine Superman,' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Overdose' serve as a good idea of where these guys were coming from" ...

"Track down the Imperial Dogs' Live! In Long Beach (October 30, 1974) DVD the next time you're saddling up for a night of drunken debauchery and howling at the moon."

All this is just the tip o' the tongue-bath that proto-punk aficionado Nick Myers gives "crazed, L.A. rock 'n' roll combo" the Imperial Dogs here.

Fang Mail, Pt. 20

Thought we'd share some more "fang mail" from people who've actually purchased the Imperial Dogs Live! In Long Beach (October 30, 1974) DVD:

"I can't believe you guys didn't get more recognition!" writes Scott Taylor from England. "It makes me wonder why bands like the Sex Pistols and the Damned gained so much infamy when the Imperial Dogs were being loud and challenging years before! The Imperial Dogs have become a big influence on our band -- we intend to cover one of your songs soon -- and have inspired us to give a big 'FUCK YOU' to the wishy-washy popular bands in our native Derbyshire and beyond! Thanks for your piece of history!"